Fulham's 13-season stay in the Premier League came to an end earlier this year as the Cottagers finished 19th in the top flight under Felix Magath.

They had to sacrifice over 20 players over the summer, but they also flexed their muscles in the transfer market with plenty of new arrivals, including the £11m capture of Ross McCormack, who was last season's top scorer in the Championship with Leeds United.

Magath was expected to guide Fulham to an instant Premier League return, but it all went horribly wrong and now Kit Symons is trying to repair the damage of the start of the season.

Below, Sports Mole remembers what has been a difficult 2014-15 so far for the West London side.

August

They might have fallen out of the top flight, but Fulham still got plenty of attention on the first weekend of the season with a televised match at Ipswich Town. Some basic defensive errors gifted the home side two goals and Fulham weren't able to recover, falling to a 2-1 defeat.

A pair of home games followed and it was two more defeats for Magath's men as Millwall and Wolverhampton Wanderers both scored early goals and were able to hold on for away wins.

The Cottagers were one of two sides to begin with a three-game losing streak and they fell behind Blackpool on goal difference and were bottom of the table after losing 5-1 at Derby County.

The League Cup brought a slight reprieve as Fulham entered at the second round and beat nearby Brentford thanks to McCormack's first goal for the club. They then at last picked up a point in the league with a 1-1 draw at home to Cardiff City.

With Blackpool losing their fifth in a row, Fulham were off the bottom, but it couldn't have started any worse and there was plenty to think about going into the first international break.

September

The two-week break did little to ease Fulham's woes as they returned to action with a 3-0 defeat at Reading. With Blackpool getting their first point, Fulham were propping the other 23 up once more.

Despite McCormack's first league goals at the City Ground four days later, Fulham were beaten again as Nottingham Forest put five past them. That would be the end of Magath's reign and revelations following his exit suggested that the majority of the dressing room were glad to see him go.

Symons took over as caretaker boss but couldn't make an instant impact as Fulham lost their seventh out of eight games at the start of the season with defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

September did end with two wins a row, though. First, the Cottagers dispatched Doncaster Rovers to reach the third round of the League Cup before a first win in the league - a 2-1 triumph at fellow strugglers Birmingham City.

They still had the worst goal difference in the league, but they were now three points from safety.

October

The 10th month brought a first home win of the campaign and a handsome one at that as Symons's revival continued with a 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers.

A 2-0 loss at Middlesbrough followed before a third win in four games as league leaders Norwich City visited Craven Cottage and were beaten 1-0 by Symons's side.

There was late drama in midweek as Fulham and Rotherham United shared six goals in Yorkshire before another convincing home win over Charlton Athletic.

It wasn't until after the Charlton victory that Symons was finally given the full-time manager's job after five wins in nine games, which had steered the club up to 20th in the table.

Despite their improving league form, they were knocked out of the Cup in the third round as fellow Championship side Derby County fought back from two down to win 5-2.

November

Fulham's first two games in November would have both been viewed as winnable against sides down at the bottom with them, but Symons's charges couldn't achieve a victory in either the trip to Wigan Athletic or the home game against Blackpool, with both games high-scoring draws.

Still, that made it five unbeaten in the league and they soon were up to six with a 3-1 home win over Huddersfield Town in which the improving front trio of McCormack, Hugo Rodallega and Lasse Vigen Christensen all scored.

The unbeaten record came to an end on a Friday night at Griffin Park when Fulham were on course for a smash-and-grab victory at Brentford until a pair of goals in the last 10 minutes saw the Bees produce a late sting.

November ended on a high as Fulham this time came back from behind, with Vigen Christensen netting his third of the month for the winner at Brighton & Hove Albion.

December

Fulham were on a five-game unbeaten home run that included four victories at Craven Cottage going into December's opening match against a Watford side who had lost four games in a row. That pointed to another home win, but it was completely the opposite as the Hornets ended their barren spell in spectacular fashion with a 5-0 victory.

Rodallega's ninth goal of the season got Fulham back to winning ways at Leeds United before the Cottagers won back-to-back matches for the first time in 10 games with a 4-0 triumph over Sheffield Wednesday.

That took Fulham up to 13th, their highest league position of the season, going into Christmas week, but they wouldn't score or win again in 2014, going down 2-0 to both league leaders Bournemouth and at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Symons has undoubtedly turned Fulham's fortunes around, but they are just five points off the drop zone and 12 adrift of the playoffs. They will need to go on an almighty run to make a push for the top six and fans will probably take a safe mid-table finish at this stage.

Star man: Lasse Vigen Christensen

Must do better: Ross McCormack

Where to strengthen in January: Defence

Position at start of 2015: 17th

Mid-season grade: C-

To see Fulham's remaining fixtures in 2014-15, click here.